M87 SELECTED TO THE "FIERCE 15"

Fierce Wireless has selected M87 as one of their "Fierce 15" companies in 2017. Fierce editors look all year for startups and emerging technologies that "have the potential to have a significant impact as the wireless industry begins to enter the 5G era." Needless to say, we're proud to be selected.

What is the business and business model? M87 provides software solutions that enable billions of mobile devices to self-discover and form dynamic, self-communicating device-to-device networks. M87's solution makes every smartphone a call-relay device, but controlled by carrier-driven policies. Its software solutions are available in recurring and/or enterprise license models.

What is the company’s differentiator? Named after one of the largest galaxies in the universe, Messier 87, M87 says its software creates mobile ad hoc networks with ranges up to thousands of meters with multihop connections. It runs on existing off-the-shelf smartphones, with an SDK for inclusion in Android and iOS applications and the additional option of running on embedded device systems—for example in IoT. “Our Edge Network solution is a unique and cost effective way for carriers to improve coverage and capacity,” the company says. “Additionally, our software can create proximate networks of devices that can communicate peer to peer even when no other connectivity exists.”

What’s next? The company is moving into trials this summer and fall with customers and partners.